How to Choose the Best Headphones for Your Child
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Whether your child wants to enjoy music on a phone, play a game on their tablet, or Zoom into a school session on the computer, having a good set of headphones is a necessity for kids’ daily lives. Kids have had it rough the past couple of years—taking classes online, socializing online, and staying isolated on a regular basis. While many kids are enjoying the opportunity to go back to school in person, the rapid increase in kids’ use of technology is likely here to stay.
You may wonder what else other than size would make a difference when choosing headphones for your kids, but there are some key features that can make headphones specifically designed for children a better option. Read on to learn what to consider when choosing headphones for kids.
Prioritize your child’s hearing with volume-limiting headphones
The most important piece of advice: protect your child’s eardrums. It might be fun to blast some loud music now and again, but that volume can do a lot of damage, especially to young ears. The potential risk of harm is increased when using headphones because they sit close to the eardrum. And due to the design of noise-cancelling headphones, you won’t be able to hear just how high your child has turned up the volume.
Fortunately, headphone and headset manufacturers kept safety top of mind when they were designing for youth. For example, you can purchase volume-limiting children’s headphones that will preserve your kid’s hearing for the long term and keep you from worrying.
Do you want wired or wireless?
The choice between wired or wireless depends on how your child likes to use their headphones. If they’re moving around a lot, wireless is the better choice — especially if they’re always on the go. It’s easy for kids of all ages to forget that they’re plugged into a tablet or phone when they run into the other room for a snack, thus dragging the device off the table and onto the floor.
Of course, wireless headphones require all the devices your child wants to use to have Bluetooth compatibility. Thankfully, this technology is becoming more common and is certainly the default on most personal electronics these days. However, if your kid has gone retro and picked up an old portable CD player, you’ll need a wired connection to carry the sound to the headphones.
Does your child need headphones or a headset?
What other features might you include?
Choosing waterproof headphones is a must for anyone with kids who spend a lot of time outdoors or who tend to spill things. (Wait, doesn’t that describe most children?)
A kids’ foldable headset design is key if your kid likes to toss their headphones in a bag or backpack to carry around. And you can make sure that your child’s frequently-traveling headphones are fully protected by purchasing a headphone case as well.
If your kid will be using headphones in noisy environments (for example, on planes where the engine roar can be surprisingly powerful, in classroom settings, or in the back seat of a car between rambunctious siblings), then a sound-isolating pair of headphones will be the best choice. Sound-isolating headphones are also good for children who are easily overwhelmed by disruptive noises. Plus, you can turn on some calming children’s music for them to help them shut out the outside stimulation.
Most headphones come in a variety of sizes, with some offering a wider range than others. But unlike adults, kids go through frequent growth spurts. Therefore if your little ones are readily climbing up the growth chart or if you want kids of different ages to be able to share a pair, opt for a pair of kids’ headphones with an adjustable band.
Finally, there is the aesthetic element. Kids’ headphones come in all sorts of fun colors and themes. That way, if your kid has a favorite cartoon character, color, or animal, you can probably find a pair of headphones that match their taste. The variety of designs available also helps kids distinguish their headphones from their siblings’, which helps to avoid any disagreements on long car trips.